Thirsting Fates
by PeoniesandPoppies
Summary: That awkward moment when your love could literally kill a man. -Succubus AU by peoniesandpoppies & thefairytailghoul (collab)
1. Chapter 1

**Thirsting Fate**

I would like to make it clear that while I indeed am writing this story, it is not entirely my own.

This is a collaboration between me and thefairytailghoul on Tumblr.

This story was her idea and nothing gets posted without her approval first.

This will be a multichapter.

I also have another collaboration with raventhefox coming soon.

Both me and thefairytailghoul hope you will enjoy this story!

* * *

A burning sensation raged within Juvia's body, a sensation that she unfortunately was very aquainted with. It was the undeniable flame of lustful hunger... the only true hunger she ever felt. Life as a succubus was not a life she would have chosen for herself, but you are what you are, right? Although Juvia lives a seemingly average life, she and her roommate, Lucy, both belong to a family of Succubi known as the Lillin, or the children of Lillith. The two girls never much fit in with the other succubi. The Lillin were cold and detached. Lucy had felt it was akin to living among sociopaths. Juvia wondered for a long time what was wrong with her. She wondered why she felt deeply and cared for the lives of others when none of the other Lillin did. Until she met Lucy she had considered herself defective, but Lucy shared Juvia's "defects".

While living among their so called family they experienced harsh judgement and abuse for their behavior. "Too much like humans." One sister had spat at the pair. "You will starve to death at this rate. Nature's due course I suppose." Another had stated condescendingly. "Mating with Humans has finally taken it's toll." These were just the one's that Juvia remembered most, but things like these were the norm for the two girls, which is why when they came of age they made the choice to leave the group. They still did check ins from time to time to show their existence, but they tried to distance themselves as much as possible from the family that never truly accepted them.

According to Lucy, her mother starved to death because she refused to feed. She had fully fed only once, which resulted in Lucy's birth, but consequently killed the human. Layla Heartfilia had vowed to feed without killing her entire life, which was a challenge. She took little bits of affection from many people. It earned her a rather unpleasant reputation among the humans, but it kept her alive and guilt free. But, that all changed when she met Jude. She had intended to just take a little from him like she did the others, but unfortunately, when a succubus chooses a mate they lose control. It's how they breed. A succubus' body knows when it has found the perfect mate to create viable Lillin/ Lilu.

By the time Layla had come to her senses, Jude was gone. She was distraught, and when she realized the mating had been succesful she was broken. Not only did she take a life, but now she would have a tiny reminder of her sin. Oh, but when little Lucy was born all of that guilt faded away, if only for a moment. That little baby was sunshine in the cold dark of the Lillin. After Lucy was born, Layla needed more than just little bits of stolen life force, but she refused to take another life. After Lucy turned 7, Layla succumbed to her ill health and passed on leaving Lucy to be raised by the Lillin. They always told her she was so much like her mother, which by human standards would be a lovely thing to say, but Lucy knew what the Succubi meant. They meant she didn't belong.

Juvia didn't know her parents. She had grown up in the system, well, until she hit sexual maturity. When she reached the age that typical humans hit puberty, she hit a puberty of her own and it wasn't what she expected at all. Fortunately and unfortunately, one of the Lillin was a social worker and had noticed her while checking in on a foster home. She could immediately smell Juvia upon entering the home and recognized the scent as another Lillin. The Succubus had pulled some strings and managed to become her foster mother. She wasn't as cold as the others, but she wasn't totally warm either. She was like a pleasant neutral. Her name was Mavis Vermillion and she was dubbed the "Queen of the Lillin". She was also the only Lillin known to be mated to an Incubus, Zeref.

Incubi and Succubi were cut from the same cloth. Just as Succubi are referred to as Lillin, Incubi are considered Lilu when born of a Lillin. Succubi tend to mate with humans rather than Incubi because Incubi were actually incredibly hard to find, unlike Succubi. While Lillin preferred to stick close and network like a hive, Incubi preferred solitude. Because of this, finding Incubi mates was nearly impossible, but preferable if you could manage to sink your claws into one. If a succubus meets an incubus and somehow manages to establish a mating bond with them, they can mate for life, feeding off of each others' life force infinitely like a never ending cycle.

Mavis was fortunate enough to stumble across Zeref and establish that connection years ago. They have not had a successful mating cycle yet, but when they do, their offspring will be quite powerful. Cambion, the child of demons, the purest offspring of Lillin and Lilu, that is to be their legacy should they one day successfully mate.

The only reason Juvia or Lucy ever truly returned was for Mavis. She was the only Lillin that felt even a fraction of how they did. She only showed it towards them, but she was more like the girls than she lead on. It made the girls feel a little better knowing that the "Queen of the Lillin" herself was warmer than the cold Succubi they were surrounded by.

Juvia's thighs rubbed together to ease the irritating flames of lust igniting between her legs. She hadn't fed in days. She hated taking from strangers and refused to take from friends. Awkward relationships weren't exactly things she wanted to establish. Living in such a small city, there were only so many strangers you could steal life force from before you earned a reputation. She had a life , school, a job... She couldn't afford a reputation. No way. Regardless, she needed to feed.

She groaned into her pillow and slowly inched off of her bed like a succupillar and sunk to the floor. Her blankets were wrapped tightly around her like a cuccoon. She had fully intended to sleep in, but clearly today just wasn't the day. It was Saturday and neither of the girls had work or classes.

Apparently Lucy was also feeling the tell tale hunger because she was sitting on the kitchen counter in her pink hello kitty onsie squeezing her thighs together while downing a tub of home made girl scout Samoa ice cream. Juvia wiggled out of her blankets and slowly managed to crawl across their studio apartment to the kitchen area. Like a lazy sea monster, Juvia grabbed the edge of the counter and yanked the drawer open, pulling out a spoon. She slammed it shut and dragged her body up and onto the counter next to Lucy. Juvia leaned into the curvaceous blonde and shoved her spoon into the ice cream, winning herself at least one big bite before it was all gone.

"I hate to say it, but we need to hunt." Lucy winced as the word left her mouth. It was just so... predatory. But, she was right. They were starving. Of course, succubi could fully feed on a human without killing them, but you never really knew which human had enough strength to handle it. And even you could find a human with the strength to mate with a succubus without dying, you still couldn't mate with them often. Once a week maximum, and that is only if their life force is particularly strong. Most humans are not capable of this, which is all the more reason the girls steer clear of going all the way. Life may be a box of chocolates, but they aren't about to go around ripping open all of the chocolates until they find the best one.

"...Juvia knows..." She sighed and shoved the spoon full of ice cream into her mouth. Her body was on fire and she was certain she was so hungry she could probably feed off of eye sex.

"It's still kinda early. We can go for coffee at the book store and scout for some poor unfortunate souls." She laughed, but it was empty. They only hunted when they were desperate to feed and they both, especially Lucy, knew that they truly were unfortunate souls. If the girls connected with any of their meal tickets, that's it. Game over. They are as good as dead. All they can hope for is if someday it happens, their mates will be strong enough to survive the initial mating. If they survive, the girls will know to leave and never come back.

"Yes... Juvia will get ready." Juvia slid off the counter and went to their bathroom to shower. Warm tears mixed with the hot water that cascaded down her body. Ever since Lucy had told her the story of her mother, Juvia had been terrified that at any moment she could lose control and take a life. Her mate could be anywhere, and if he was human... She could lose him as soon as she found him without even realizing it until it was too late. Lucy shared this fear. This life, being a Lillin, a Succubus... It was a curse.

* * *

The two suffering Lillin masked their discomfort expertly. Acting was nothing when you had an entire species to protect. If humans knew there were Succubi living among them things could get ugly. The girls skittered to the counter hastily. The last person had already gathered their coffee and wandered off. Lucy quickly rambled off their order and handed over a wad of Jewel. They stood by the counter waiting for their coffees, anxiously scanning the room for someone, anyone to feed from. Male, female, didn't matter. If they could lure them away for some brief feeding, they could be full after about 5 victims each. This would tide them over for about a week... sometimes.

The book store was pretty dead. There were a few potentials scattered about, but not enough. They couldn't very well feed on everyone in the store. That's just too risky. The Barista was a rough looking guy with long, unruly dark hair. He had alarmingly red eyes, which were certainly inhuman, but the girls chalked it up to contacts. He had piercings down his forearms, nose and chin. Instead of eyebrows he had iron studs. He was a strange character, but the girls really couldn't judge. Succubus.

He was staring off to the far corner of the book store. Juvia and Lucy followed his gaze. There on the other side of the library was a petite woman with short, wavy blue hair. She was incredibly tiny, but clearly an adult. She was standing on a stool as she put away books on a high shelf. The girls glanced back at him as he mindlessly worked on their coffees without looking. Despite his attention being on the little blunette, he was handling the coffee pretty well.

The girls could feel the adoration radiating off of him, which unbeknownst to him, was feeding them. It barely put a dent in their hunger, but it was something. As a Lillin, they could feed off of all forms of romantic affection, even if it wasn't directed at them. Sex was the best way to feed as it provided instant and complete fuel, but kisses, touches and embraces were also adequate, like fast food. Being near someone who holds romantic feelings for someone as they experience them also feeds the Lillin, but just barely. It's like a treat or snack. It's nice, but not enough, especially when you are ravenous like they are.

Juvia felt bad for the guy. The way his emotions felt, it was as if they hadn't been fulfilled. There was no closure to the warm burst of heat radiating through their bones. She had no idea how he felt, that or she did but simply didn't return those feelings. Either way, Juvia couldn't help but feel for the guy.

His eyes snapped down to the cups when he finished. He popped on the lids and handed over the cups. The girls took them and began wandering the isles, searching for someone to save them from the fiery hell that is their existence at the moment. Just as Juvia was about to feed on a lonely bystander in the fiction isle, the bookstore door jingled. Both girls' heads popped up over the shelves, hoping to find more potential snacks. The doors slammed shut behind them with a loud smack and furious jingle. Two guys had just entered and Juvia was completely smitten, which terrified her.

Dark, messy spikes that lead to lightly tanned skin held her hostage. She was nowhere near him, but she could tell that she couldn't touch him. Her body was willing her towards him and that was enough to tell her there was danger ahead. No matter how hungry a Lillin got they would never literally gravitate to a food source. Not unless it was their mate.

Juvia had no time to pout because Lucy was already moving in on the two guys. Her heart raced in her chest. The thought of Lucy feeding on her mate enraged her. Even if she couldn't take him as her mate, he was still hers. She didn't even know his name, but her body told her all she needed to know. Lucy wasn't going to lay a finger on him. Juvia went after Lucy to stop her, but stilled in her tracks when Lucy pounced on the other guy. He had hair like cherry blossoms and medium tanned skin.

Lucy didn't even hesitate. She just pounced, her lips locking onto his hungrily. Juvia panicked. Lucy would never do that. What were the odds that both of their mates would just waltz in at the same time? Juvia had to get Lucy away from him immediately, but she was terrified of getting too close to her mate. What if she lost control like Lucy just did? She bit her lip and stamped her foot childishly, cursing her own existence. If she didn't try to step in that boy was going to die and Lucy would be implemented. This is a public space. Not exactly appropriate for succubus feeding time or murder for that matter.

Juvia held her breath and ran at the group, tackling both Lucy and the cherry blossom boy to the ground. Her mate was amused by the whole situation, his arms crossed and loud laughter erupting from deep in his chest. This action seemed to snap Lucy out of her blind lust. Her face was beet red. She scrambled off of the boy and held her hand over her mouth like as if she was trying to muzzle herself. Juvia felt herself losing control. Her mate had reached his hand out to her and her eyes locked onto his.

"Lucy... We need to go... I can't..." Juvia was slowly losing it. Her vision was blurring and her mind was turning to mush. Her body was burning worse than ever. Images flooded her mind. His teeth raking her skin sending icy chills up her spine, her claws marking his back... Before her thoughts could completely cross over into sinful territory, Lucy yanked her away.

After Juvia had uttered those words, she had somehow enchanted the raven haired boy. It was the strangest thing Lucy had ever seen. That wasn't a succubus thing, whatever Juvia was doing. Juvia had started... singing. Quietly, just loud enough for the boy to hear, but she was singing. The boy seemed confused at first, but after the first note he was done for. Lucy didn't know what that was, but they couldn't stay. They would have to feed somewhere else.

Lucy dragged Juvia to their little yellow station wagon and tossed her inside. Lucy got into the drivers seat and stared at the wheel, processing everything that had just happened. She didn't feel as hungry now as she had before. She remembered hearing the jingle of the door and seeing pink, then nothing. She was shaking in her seat as she remembered what Mavis had told her about her mother. She had found her mate, but she couldn't have him. What the hell kind of fucked up life is this? She glanced over to the passenger seat to check on Juvia. She seemed just as terrified as she was.

"Juvia... You were singing..." Lucy whispered. Juvia looked up from her lap and tears were in her eyes. Lucy's breath caught in her throat.

"Lucy... What is Juvia?" Juvia was confused. She had always thought she was a succubus, but was she really? She fed the same way as a succubus and clearly could take a mate the same way, but there was something about the whole thing that didn't feel right. Why didn't she react like Lucy did? Did it differ from Lillin to Lillin or was there something different about Juvia herself? She didn't know, but something just wasn't right.

"We need to see Mavis." Lucy stated grimly. Juvia buckled her seat belt and looked back to the store. The two guys were sitting in the outdoor cafe, watching them. She looked back down to her lap as soon as her mate's eyes locked on hers again. Her legs began to ache. Lucy refused to look back to the boy with pink hair. She needed to get to Mavis immediately, preferably without committing murder first.

* * *

"Singing?" Mavis looked over her foster daughter carefully and frowned. Zeref sat at the dining table with them, a truly rare occasion.

"So, you say you found your mate... And you say she sang to him?" He looked between the two girls curiously. Lucy nodded eagerly.

"It was like she was in a trace, but it wasn't like a ravenous, lustful hunger. She looked... eerily peaceful and serene. She was just quietly singing to him. No words, just this strange melody." Zeref hummed to himself and crossed his arms looking pensive. Mavis stood behind the girls and ran a hand through Juvia's cerulean curls. Singing wasn't part of Succubi mating. Mavis was certain Juvia was a Lillin when she met her. She could smell it on her, still could.

"Lucy, could you hum this melody for me?" Zeref requested. Lucy stalled and looked down to Juvia awkwardly.

"Uh... Sure... Just... Uhm. Okay." Lucy played the melody in her head a couple of times, wanting to present it as accurately as possible in case Zeref knew anything of it. Lucy began to hum the ancient sweet melody. After only a few notes, Mavis and Zeref both shared a look that expressed they recognized the melody.

"What? What is it?" The girls asked in unison. Mavis looked at the azure curls in her hand and couldn't believe she didn't realize sooner. Blue wasn't exactly a color Lillins were born with, but there was always a possibility of genetic mutation down the line. And her scent was so much like a Lillin...

Zeref stood and exited the kitchen, disappearing into his study. Mavis took a seat in front of the girls and looked down at the table. Zeref reemerged with a large, leather binded book that looked to be hundreds of years old. He flipped it open to a certain page and slid it over to them.

"That melody isn't part of Lillin mating... Sirens are relative to the Lillin, which is why she smells like one and shares our feeding rituals." Juvia grabbed the book and read like her life depended on it. Lucy gaped at Juvia and poked her legs.

"How can she be a Siren? She has LEGS! LEGS!" Lucy shrieked. Mavis glared at Lucy for her loudness and sighed.

"Sirens have legs when out of the ocean. Juvia has probably never been to the ocean, so it is doubtful she has ever even seen her tail. Pretty sure she would remember having flippers." Mavis teased. Juvia put down the book and looked down at her legs.

"Mavis... When he looked at me... My legs started to ache?" Zeref flipped the pages in front of her and pointed to a paragraph.

"That was your body calling you to the sea. You found your mate. When sirens find their mate, they sing to enchant them and breed. Afterwords, they drown them." Juvia's eyes bugged out of her head. Lucy stared at Juvia like she was a mythical hydra.

"WHY WOULD SHE DROWN HIM?" Lucy squealed in terror. Zeref's tired eyes turned on Lucy and he groaned.

"Succubi suck the life out of their mates, Incubi's offspring tear apart their host and Sirens drown their mates. Are you really surprised?" Juvia's eyes became glossy and quickly overflowed with tears. She shot from her seat and flung herself onto Mavis.

"Juvia doesn't have to drown him, right?!" She wailed. Mavis shrugged.

"I suppose not. There isn't an ocean close enough for you to drown him. You would have to go hours away just to do it, so it sounds more trouble than it's worth, honestly." Lucy's jaw dropped.

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!" She shouted, waving her arms frantically. Mavis smiled and patted Lucy on the head.

"I know, silly. I was just teasing. No, you don't have to drown him. That's just archaic. Succubi can't help killing their mates if they are human. It just happens, unfortunately. But, the whole drowning thing... That was just something Sirens did for ... fun." Juvia looked like she was going to be sick. Lucy looked terrified. Zeref had disappeared while Mavis was scaring the children.

"FUN?!" Lucy threw her arms around Juvia and rubbed her cheek against hers.

"Not my sweet Juvia!" She cried. Juvia went into hysterics, calling herself a monster. Mavis held her hands up and tried to calm them both.

"Now, now. You don't have to drown him. It's okay!" Lucy stopped crying and held Juvia's face out in front of her, smooshing her creamy cheeks together in the process.

"Wait... This means that it is safe for Juvia to accept her mate, right?" Mavis thought for a moment and shrugged.

"Yeah, sure. It should be fine. While Juvia does feed like us, she doesn't need nearly as much. As a Siren she can fully mate with a human and not come close to killing him. It's the equivalent of a Lillin kiss." Lucy had to admit she was feeling a bit jealous. Sure, the whole drowning for fun bit was terrifying, but at least as a Siren Juvia had the potential to live a slightly normal life. If Lucy pursued her mate he would die. To make matters worse, Juvia's mate seems close with her's. So, if Juvia pursues him, there is a chance of seeing the mate she cannot have more frequently. But, she couldn't ask Juvia to stay away from him. She would just have to deal. Juvia could handle Lucy's lust if necessary... God. He was going to think she was a freak if he didn't already.

Juvia felt very confused about it all, but she was elated to know that she could safely pursue her mate without fear of killing him. Her heart ached for Lucy who also had found her mate, but couldn't have him. Mavis sensed Juvia's sorrow for Lucy and pulled the girl's into a rare embrace.

"Don't worry Lucy... Are you sure he was human? There are all kinds of creatures out there that look human, just like us." Lucy sighed and shrugged.

"I... I don't remember his scent." She admitted. She rubbed her arm absently and stared at the floor. Mavis shook her head.

"His scent could be misleading, as we learned today." Mavis gave Juvia a pointed look. Lucy smiled and nodded, sniffling. Juvia linked her arm with Lucy's and smiled.

"We can always go back next weekend and see if they return. Juvia will check him for you." She offered. Mavis smiled and patted both girls on the shoulder. Lucy nodded.

"Yeah. Thanks, Juvia."

* * *

Later that night, Lucy's dreams were consumed by the guy with pink hair. It was strange, the dream. She was in her bed, but the room was gone. It was just her and the bed. Out of the shadows, she saw a flash of pink appear and suddenly he was there. Her heart battered her ribs like a wrecking ball. He seemed just as surprised to see her as she was to see him. After a moment of shock, he rolled with it and approached the bed. Lucy backed into the headboard and pulled her knees to her chest. This was just a dream... She couldn't kill him here... He sat on the edge of the bed and stared intensely into her eyes. She was glad not to be losing her mind, dream perks. He reached for her cheek and smiled when his warm skin made contact. She stared at his hand with wide eyes. She could feel the pulse in his hand. Why did it feel so real? he stood from the bed and waved to her as he retreated into the shadows. Before he fully disappeared she heard a voice.

 _"See you soon, Lucy."_

As soon as the words faded, her eyes opened and she was awake. Light shined in through the curtains, blinding her. Lucy heard singing, normal singing, coming from the kitchen. Juvia was happily singing as she made breakfast. Lucy smiled. That dream was really weird, but maybe it was a sign that things were going to work out in her favor.

 _Anything but human..._

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

We hope you like it!

Also, I totally skewed mythology in our favor.

I was doing research and it inspired me to fuck with some shit.

So, totally inaccurate to mythology, but there it is.

^.^


	2. Chapter 2

**Thirsting Fates Ch. 2: What We Are**

Both me and thefairytailghoul are so excited to continue this story and we are both delighted that we received such a great response from you all.

We hope that this chapter is to your liking!

* * *

Juvia stood outside the local pet shop with her arms crossed, blushing furiously as she kept her head low. Ever since learning Juvia was really a Siren, not a Succubus, Lucy had been dying to see her tail. Juvia wasn't all too thrilled with the idea of turning into a tub trout, but Lucy was merciless with her begging. Never in Juvia's life had she ever touched sea water and honestly, she was terrified to. She knew she would still be who she had always been, but the thought of having a tail flopping about instead of her long, creamy legs really didn't sit well with her.

Lucy exited the store bouncing excitedly with a large sealed container of authentic sea water. The water sloshed around the container, making Juvia queasy with anticipation for what was to come.

"They actually let you take that?" She pointed to the heavy container warily. Lucy nodded and tightened her arms around it.

"Well, not at first, but in the end they saw it my way." Lucy winked at her and began walking to the car. Juvia sighed and dropped her arms to her side, following after her.

"Of course they did." Juvia had no doubt that Lucy would use her Lillin charm to get her way. It had a 100% success rate.

Lucy carefully placed the container in the back seat and turned back to the wheel. Her hand gripped the clutch and she shifted into reverse, backing out of the parking space. Juvia glanced back at the sloshing container of sea water. From what Zeref had told them, Juvia couldn't just put salt in water and transform. If she was going to transform, she could only do so with water directly from the ocean. He had said it was something about a Siren's connection to the sea. Their bodies knew the difference and would react accordingly.

The girls arrived back at their apartment in record time. Lucy may or may not have ran a few stop lights out of sheer excitement. As soon as they walked through the door, Lucy began shoving Juvia to the bathroom.

"Lucy! Juvia isn't ready yet!" She wailed as she grabbed the frame of the bathroom door resisting with all her might like a cat avoiding an unwanted bath. Lucy stopped shoving and placed her hands on her hips, stepping away from her.

"Fine, fine... A tail is a pretty big change, huh? I'm sorry. I can wait for you. I just really wanna see it!" She gushed. Juvia released the door frame and turned to face her friend. She sighed when she saw Lucy's hopeful face. She looked like a kid in a candy store.

Juvia winced and turned her head over her shoulder. The porcelain tub was empty and clean. All it needed was some ocean water and **POOF** , _instasiren_. She bit her lip and nodded, sagging her shoulders in defeat.

"Juvia will do it."

Lucy clapped her hands excitedly and squealed.

"This is going to be amazing!" Her voice was a high pitched squeak. Juvia smiled and turned away to undress. While Juvia stripped down, Lucy began eagerly filling the tub. Hearing the water start, Juvia turned around confused.

"Why are you filling the tub with that water? Juvia can only get a tail in sea water."

Lucy held up her finger and shook it at her.

"We can mix the sea water with the bath water!" Lucy announced animatedly. Juvia wasn't so sure.

"But, won't Juvia's body reject the bath water?"

Lucy shrugged and grabbed the bucket of sea water from the floor beside the tub. When she opened the lid, Juvia's senses came alive. It was as if she had died and come back to life. The scent of the sea water invaded her nostrils and filled her with a sense of calm she had never experienced before. Her pupils dilated and her heart raced. She needed to be in that water. Seeing her reaction, Lucy eagerly dumped the water into the tub, ready to see her friend in all her fishy glory.

As soon as the water was completely emptied from the bucket, Juvia made her move. She quickly climbed into the tub like her life depended on it. Lucy thought she looked like one of those adorable dogs you see online that really love baths. The way she practically threw herself into the tub, splashing water everywhere, was comical.

Immediately upon coming in contact with the water, scales began to form quickly on her body. Within 5 seconds she had completely transformed. Juvia and Lucy both stared down at the bath water in awe.

Scales in many shades of blue, green, silver and even purple glimmered under the water in the florescent lights of their small apartment bathroom. Juvia was sitting straight up in the tub, so her large, elegant tail was completely submerged. Wanting to see it closer, she lifted her tail from the water. When her tail came out of the water, it was no longer a tail at all. Above the water, both of her legs were pressed together and lifted out of the tub. Lucy gawked in amazement.

"Do that again." She gasped. Juvia stared at her legs , confused, but placed them back in the tub. Again, her tail reappeared within 5 seconds.

Lucy laughed and bounced as she sat on the edge of the tub.

"Oh! That is so cool! How does it feel?" Lucy's eyes shot from her tail to her face, her smile lighting up the room. Juvia lifted her tail out again and watched her legs return.

"It feels... tingly." Juvia was at a loss for words. It was such a strange feeling, scales constantly emerging from and retracting into your skin. And the leg fusion was also a strange feeling. It was like a warm tingle and then suddenly a tail appears. It was just... Weird.

Lucy held out her hand hesitantly and silently asked for permission with her eyes. Juvia nodded and lowered her legs back into the tub. Lucy reached in and gently placed her hand on Juvia's new tail. Slowly, she moved her hand.

"So smooth... And slimy." Lucy giggled. Juvia frowned and flicked water onto her.

"Watch it."

Lucy laughed and removed her hand from the tub. She stood from the edge and grabbed a towel from the shelf by the sink. once her hands were dry she held it out to Juvia.

"Come on, little fish. Help me make dinner."

Juvia looked down to her tail and smiled softly. It wasn't so bad after all. She lifted her tail out first and placed her legs outside of the tub, from there Lucy helped pull her to her feet. Juvia accepted the towel and dried herself while Lucy wondered off into the kitchen.

While Juvia dressed herself, Lucy called from the kitchen.

"How about fish sticks?!"

Juvia rolled her eyes and stuck her head out of the bathroom doorway.

"Not funny, Lucy!" She had a feeling Lucy was having way more fun with this than she should.

* * *

It had been 3 days since the incident in the book store and learning of Juvia's scaly truth. That first night Lucy had seen him in her dream he had felt to real, like he was there with her. At first she thought perhaps she had accidentally inserted herself into his dream, as succubi sometimes do, but that wasn't possible. Lucy didn't even know how to do that. She never bothered to try before. She hadn't seen him in her dreams since and as she settled into her blankets to find long awaited sleep she told herself that it must have just been a strange dream and nothing more.

Darkness surrounded her, no sounds could be heard. Dead silence. The bed was warm, and she felt at ease but here she was, lost in a dream. She knew it was a dream because once again it was as if she and her beloved bed were drifting in a dark void... Just like 3 nights before. She sat up and stared straight ahead into the darkness, waiting. Just as she expected, emerging from the shadows was tall, dark and cherry blossom. She narrowed her eyes and smirked at him in front of her bed.

"We have to stop meeting like this." She sighed sarcastically and patted the spot beside her on the bed, welcoming him to sit. He was just a figment of her imagination, might as well enjoy it while it lasts.

He smiled cheekily and ran a hand through his hair lazily as he rounded the bed and plopped down beside her.

"This is only the second time." He reminded her. She nodded and raised her shoulders.

"Unless you count me trying to devour your soul at the book store. Then it's three times." She giggled nervously. She didn't know why she felt so embarrassed mentioning it. She was essentially talking to herself. She shook her head and leaned back against the headboard. The guy chuckled, breaking the silence. She glanced at him curiously from the corner of her eyes, trying to predict his response.

"Well, Lucy, you don't have to worry about stealing my life force. You can't." He stated smugly, a devilishly handsome lopsided grin on his face. She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Yeah, I know. This is just a dream, so you don't really exist here." She mumbled as she crossed her arms, slightly disappointed. He turned to face her fully on the bed. One rosy brow cocked high in the air, he grabbed her hand. She stilled at the contact.

"Well, you are right about the dream bit, but Luce... I'm not part of it. You didn't imagine me." He informed her carefully. She slowly lowered her eyes to their hands. She could feel his pulse, his warmth. Her eyes widened and slowly trailed up to his face.

"You... Oh my god. You're REAL." She screeched and yanked her hand from his in terror. She flung herself from the bed and backed away.

"Calm down." He began crawling across the bed towards her side. She held out her hands and shook her head.

"No! No, no! Stay there! I am so sorry! I must have somehow inserted myself into your subconscious. I am so sorry!" He stared at her in disbelief. He knew what she was as soon as she attacked him in the book store. He felt the bond in their kiss. She was his mate. However, it was becoming abundantly clear that Lucy was clueless as to what he was. Here he was in her dream and she was freaking out thinking it was her doing.

"You're so weird." She was just so ... innocent for a Lillin. So inexperienced and human like. It was kind of adorable.

"Wait... No... No... I don't, I mean, I've never... You... What are you?" She backed farther into the shadows. He smiled and sat back on the bed.

"I came here of my own power if that answers your question." He said slyly. Hesitantly, she stepped forward from the shadows.

"An... Incubus." She whispered. He nodded and held out his hand for her.

"Bingo." She stared at him reaching for her. An Incubus... What were the odds? They were so rarely found and there was already an Incubus in this town, Zeref. There were no rules stating that there couldn't be more than one Incubus in a town or city, but generally there just wasn't. Lucy couldn't believe her luck. She approached the bed and accepted his hand.

"I can't hurt you." She breathed. He shook his head and pulled her onto the bed.

"Nope."

* * *

The next morning, Lucy was the one singing in the kitchen. Juvia smiled into her pillow and slowly pulled her knees under her, sitting up to stretch lazily, facing her headboard. She rolled off the bed and wandered to the kitchen a few feet away. Lucy was singing and dancing as she prepared chocolate chip pancakes.

"You seem in an extra good mood this morning." Juvia observed. Lucy looked over her shoulder at her and then back to the frying pan. She removed the cooked pancake and placed it on an already prepared stack before focusing her full attention back on Juvia.

"I am in a good mood! Guess why!" She squealed excitedly. Juvia narrowed her eyes and sighed.

"Juvia has a tail, not a crystal ball, Lucy." Lucy rolled her eyes and turned to the counter. She grabbed a plate and slapped some pancakes on it before sliding the chocolaty stack towards the snarky Siren.

"Fine. He came to me last night... for the second time..." the last part trailed off awkwardly. Juvia furrowed her brows and leaned forward.

"Who?"

Lucy sighed and tossed her head back.

"The guy from the bookstore! My mate!" She exclaimed. Juvia's eyes widened and she jumped back.

"He was here! Why didn't you say anything! He didn't bring his friend did he?!" Juvia was freaking out. Lucy realized what she must be thinking and shook her head.

"Oh! Juvia, no! You know how Lillin have the ability to dream hunt?" Juvia calmed herself and nodded slowly, not fully understanding exactly where Lucy was going with this.

"Yes... Oh! Did you finally learn how to do that?!" She asked. Lucy groaned and shook her head.

"No... No I didn't, actually. But he did. He's an Incubus!" She shouted triumphantly. Juvia's jaw hit the counter.

"Lucy! That's so rare!" She praised. Lucy nodded excitedly.

"I know, I know." Juvia wrapped her arms around her and lifted her from the ground in a bone crushing hug.

"Juvia is so happy for you! So, did you learn anything about him aside from that? What's his name?" Lucy blushed and turned away.

"Well... We didn't do too much talking... But his name is Natsu." Juvia was going to tease Lucy for her freaky succubus dream invasion sexcapade, but that name struck a cord with her. She knew that name. Mavis was her mother for all intents and purposes and as such, Zeref was also her father of sorts. Natsu was the name of Zeref's brother. She had never met him, but Zeref spoke of him often. They were born of two different hosts but shared an Incubi father. Unlike other Incubi, Zeref and Natsu liked to remain near each other. Juvia pushed aside her pancakes and placed her elbows on the counter, leaning closer to Lucy across from her.

"Lucy... You say he is an Incubus. And... His name is Natsu?" She nodded and took a bite of pancake. Juvia leaned back and smirked.

"This is like those cheesy supernatural love dramas that humans love so much. Lucy... Natsu is Zeref's brother." She laughed. Lucy nearly choked on her pancake.

"How do you know?!" She demanded. Juvia shrugged.

"Not hard to guess. He is an Incubus and Zeref has a brother named Natsu that he has mentioned lives nearby. The dots connect themselves, really." Juvia grinned wickedly. Lucy stared at the counter and shook her head.

"That's... Wow. Alright. Oh... I learned some stuff about your mate before he left." She didn't forget about Juvia. Not a chance. Juvia was at her side in an instant. Lucy chuckled to herself.

"His name is Gray Fullbuster and he is 100 percent human. Although... He does know about Natsu and... Me." Juvia grabbed Lucy's hand and stared at her intensely.

"He knows about what you are? And he... Accepts it? What about Juvia?" Lucy grabbed her and back and smiled.

"Yes, he is really fascinated by non humans, as most humans are, but Natsu says he is a great guy. Natsu hasn't told him what you are yet because he honestly didn't know what you were. I told him myself, I hope you don't mind. I asked him to hold off telling Gray until I spoke with you about it." Lucy bit her lip anxiously, hoping Juvia wouldn't be mad. On the contrary. Juvia was thrilled.

"I want to see him! When will you see Natsu next?!" She pleaded. Lucy sighed with relief.

"He plans to see me again tonight. I can tell him to set something up for us, if you want?" Juvia nodded eagerly. Lucy smiled.

"Alright. I'll make it happen. Any place in particular you want to go?" Without an ounce of hesitation, Juvia answered.

"The Ocean." Lucy's eyes nearly shot from her head.

"HEY! YOU CAN'T TAKE HIM THERE! WHAT IF YOU TURN INTO A CRAZY FISH LADY AND DROWN HIM?!" She screamed. Juvia shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Juvia won't drown him! Juvia did fine in the tub! Besides, Mavis said that Sirens only did that for entertainment anyways. Juvia doesn't want to drown him, so she won't!" She argued. Lucy was skeptical but gave in.

"Alright, I guess. But, why the ocean?" Juvia looked down to her legs and frowned.

"Juvia feels like she has to take him to the water. NOT TO DROWN HIM! Just to... Make it official. Juvia needs... to swim with him." When they left the book store that day and he had locked eyes with her from across the distance, her legs had ached. Zeref had mentioned that was her body being called back to the ocean. Juvia couldn't help but to feel that it meant she needed to bring her mate to the ocean.

Lucy hummed to herself and shrugged.

"Alright. If that is what you need. Also... Gray doesn't know that you have chosen him as your mate, so do you want to tell him that yourself, or should Natsu fill him in when he tells him that he's going on a date with the little mermaid?" Juvia shot her a nasty glare. Lucy was a barrel of endless fish jokes.

"Juvia... Isn't sure she is brave enough to tell him." Lucy nodded and stabbed her fork into her pancakes.

"Natsu it is."

* * *

Night came once more and Lucy welcomed the darkness like an old friend. She waited patiently for his arrival from the shadows. Her smile lit the darkness as the familiar pink broke through the shadows. He smiled warmly at her as he approached the bed. He climbed over her and went in for a kiss. She gripped his messy cherry blossom spikes tightly, deepening the kiss. His lips were soft against hers and he tasted of sinful cinnamon. No, really. He had to have just eaten some of those "sinful cinnamon" rolls from the local market. She licked her lips as he pulled away, a content sigh escaping his sweet mouth as he rolled beside her, placing his arms behind his head comfortably.

"You taste yummy. Been to the bakery today I see." She teased, poking his cheek. It was odd feeling so comfortable with a man she just met, but it just felt right. Like they already knew each other. Mating was weird.

He wiped his mouth and smiled.

"Yeah. I was ordering a cake for my brother." Lucy nodded and sat up.

"Right. Zeref. What's the occasion? He finally decide to leave the house?" She joked. Natsu Turned to look at her and laughed.

"You know Zeref?! Ha. I'm not surprised. He is mated to another Lillin. I heard she is kinda the ring leader around here. You must be part of her coven, right?" He asked. She nodded but then scrunched her nose.

"Kind of, not really. Mavis raised us, Juvia and I, but we kinda separated ourselves from the coven. We still check in with her and your brother, but we like to do our own thing. We don't exactly fit in with the others. Too soft for their taste." Natsu could tell from her words that it was a sore subject. He left it at that.

"I see." Lucy frowned and tilted her head.

"I am curious though... What is the cake for?" Natsu smiled and bumped her with his shoulder.

"Zeref called me today to tell me that they finally had a successful mating cycle." Lucy gasped.

"What?! They have been mating forever! It finally happened?! Oh, we have to go see them this week!" Natsu laughed. It was nice to have something in common with her. It was nothing short of a miracle that his mate turned out to be a Lillin, not just a Lillin, but one that was close to his brother and his mate. It truly felt right, like this is how it has always been.

"This is nice." He smiled and gently grabbed her hand. Lucy stared at their intertwined hands and smiled softly.

"Yeah.. Yeah it is." She stroked her thumb sweetly across the back of his hand, but stopped when she remembered her conversation with Juvia earlier that day.

"Oh... Juvia wanted me to tell you that it is fine to tell Gray what she is, and if you don't mind, explain what happened between the two of them at the book store?" She hoped he wouldn't mind doing this for her. He smirked and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her against his chest.

"I can do that. I can't wait to see his face when he finds out."

Lucy frowned.

"About the tail or the fact that he is basically married to a fish he has never spoken to?"

Natsu laughed.

"Both."

Lucy giggled and ran her hand through his hair, further disheveling it.

"Another thing... Would you mind setting up a double date for us... to the ocean? Juvia... needs to get him in the water."

Natsu's face expressed worry.

"She's not gonna... kill him, is she? Like, drag him to the depths below and eat him or anything?"

Lucy couldn't help herself. She laughed so hard the dream world they were in began to falter. Seeing this, Lucy abruptly stopped laughing.

"Sorry. Uhm... No. Sirens don't need to do that... It's not necessary and Juvia isn't like that. He will be safe. I promise." She assured him. Natsu sighed and nodded.

"Oh, good. Yeah, I can set that up. The ocean is only 2 hours from here. We're free this weekend. That good for you?"

Lucy nodded.

"Perfect."

* * *

Gray Fullbuster was a normal, everyday, very human college student who just so happened to be best friends with an Incubus. No big deal. He had met Natsu in high school. They started off as enemies and fought often over stupid things. Bumping into each other was how it started and it escalated from there.

One day they both got their asses kicked by another kid, Laxus. He was a couple of grades higher and was kind of a jack ass. They decided to team up against him for revenge and have been best buds ever since.

Gray found out that Natsu was an Incubus when he caught him suffering in the school bathroom. Natsu could have passed it off as a normal human illness, but he had been friends with Gray for over a year and to be honest, aside from his brother, Gray was all he had.

He told him about being an incubus and his need for life force gathered via romantic or sexual interactions. Natsu knew he had to do these things to live, but much like Lucy and Juvia, he wasn't too eager for it.

Gray understood. He wasn't much of a flirt himself. Sure, he had crushes, but actually pursuing any of them made him nervous. He couldn't imagine actually having to make these interactions to survive.

Natsu was surprised that Gray immediately took his word for it. He certainly wasn't a skeptic, that was for sure.

Gray had then made it his mission to find Natsu a girlfriend to feed from so that it wasn't so awkward.

As an incubus, Natsu didn't have to worry about killing with his affections. An Incubi's primary goal is to impregnate, so like a Siren, their life force intake is lower.

Gray found a girl that had a crush on Natsu and set them up. Her name was Lisanna and they worked well together, but after graduation, she moved overseas to Edolas for college. Fortunately, being with her boosted Natsu's courage and he was able to feed a little here and there as Lucy and Juvia did.

"Wait, wait... You are telling me that her friend is a Siren? And I'm... She ... I'm her _mate_? How did that even happen?" Gray ran his hands through his hair nervously and paced the room.

"Yep. That's exactly what I am telling you. It's not like she could control it. Just like me and Luce, Siren's don't get to choose. You're it." Natsu grinned in amusement.

"I have read about Sirens. Nothing good. She wants to take me into the ocean, Natsu! I'm just a little terrified." Gray was a mess. It's one thing to be best friends with the supernatural, but to be bonded to it by weird outer forces was a bit much for him to take in.

"You'll be fine. She's not one of _those_ Sirens. Think of her more like... Ariel from that Little Mermaid movie. You know... Minus the whole losing her voice to win your love thing."

Gray plopped down onto the sofa and stared at the ground between his legs. Natsu smiled and sat beside him, nudging him in the ribs.

"Oh, come on, you liked her before. You said she was cute. So, she has a tail... That just makes her cooler." Natsu encouraged.

Gray sighed and nodded. He was right. He did think she was cute at the book store. He had been thinking about her all week, too. It was hard for him to believe that someone like her was _meant_ to be with him. A human. It was like one of those shitty romance novels. Outlandish and unlikely. But, he did feel the need to at least meet her. Seeing her in action in her element was an interesting event that he would probably never witness otherwise either, so he decided it couldn't hurt to at least spend some time with her.

"Yeah, you're right. I'll go."

Natsu clapped his hand on his shoulder.

"Alright! We're gonna go to this private beach that Zeref recommended a couple hours from here."

Gray crossed his arms and leaned back.

"Private beach?"

Natsu nodded.

"Well, yeah. Can't have everybody and their grandma checking out her fins, ya know?"

Gray sucked in a breath.

"Ohhh. Right. That would be bad. Really bad." He winced at the thought of a bunch of people trying to trap the pretty siren in a net. He didn't like it.

He thought of her all week. What she would be like, what her laugh would sound like, her favorite things, her dislikes, if her scales would match her hair, what it would be like to swim with her... She was in his head and he couldn't get her out.

* * *

"Yo, Gray. You alright?" Natsu noticed that his friend seemed a bit out of it as they drove to pick up the girls at their apartment. Gray nodded absently. He wasn't really present at the moment. All he could think about was Juvia in the water with him. In his dreams he could hear her song, the one she sang to him in the bookstore. After Natsu spilled the fishy secret, Gray's dreams were nothing but the siren and the sea.

He still couldn't believe that someone like her would want someone like him, let alone be somehow magically bonded to him. When Natsu had confided to Gray that he was an Incubus, Gray accepted it as truth immediately. He had always believed that there was truth behind legends because everything comes from something.

When they pulled up in front of the apartment the girls were waiting out front. Lucy was wearing a petal pink string bikini with light denim daisy dukes. The ends of the strings on her bikini had small gold stars. Her hair was pulled into low, long pigtails and she carried a large light pink beach bag full of the things she and Juvia would need for the day.

Juvia was wearing a lilac, strapless bikini with frills on the top, her bottoms had 3 horizontal slits on each hip, creating the appearance of thin strings holding the tiny garment together. She was wearing a see through light purple hip scarf cover up over the ensemble. Her hair flowed freely in long, cascading cerulean waves.

Natsu unlocked the car doors for the girls to enter. Gray's eyes followed Juvia as she approached the red 79' charger. When the back door opened his heart began to pound out of control. If she was a human, he liked to think he wouldn't feel so strange, but knowing that she was an alluring creature of the sea straight out of a fucking pirate novel, he was feeling the pressure.

The two girls entered the car and buckled in. Lucy was all smiles, but Juvia appeared to be just as nervous as Gray was.

"Yo, Luce! Ready to hit the beach?" Natsu looked behind him into the backseat with a big, goofy grin. Lucy smiled and nodded.

"Can't wait!" Lucy placed the large bag in the floorboard and sat back in her seat. Natsu nudged Gray and tilted his head towards the backseat, trying to encourage some interaction with Juvia.

Gray took a deep breath and turned around to face her. She smiled sweetly at him and her eyes sparkled with a light he had never seen before.

"Uh, Hi. I'm Gray." He waved awkwardly.

"Juvia." She looked down to her lap and twisted her cover up in her fingers nervously.

* * *

The two hours passed slowly and painfully in silence between Gray and Juvia. Natsu and Lucy, however, managed to fill the silence just fine with mindless chatter. They parked behind some trees and left the car. On the walk to the private beach, Juvia broke the silence.

"You aren't afraid of Juvia, are you?" She asked quietly beside him. They lagged behind while their friends ran ahead. He shook his head and smiled.

"Nah... I was when I found out, but not anymore." He admitted. Juvia rubbed her arm and stared out to the ocean that beckoned her with it's crashing waves.

"Juvia understands this must be strange for you... It is strange for her, too. Juvia only recently learned she is a Siren." She shrugged and tried to keep her pace even with his even though she wanted nothing more than to grab his hand and run into the waves. he raised a curious brow.

"Recently? How recently? How didn't you know? I mean, a tail is kind of a dead giveaway." He scratched his head and chuckled nervously.

"Lucy took Juvia to Mavis and Zeref after the bookstore and that was when she learned of what she was... Juvia saw her tail for the first time a few days ago. She can only see it in water directly from the sea." She waved her hand towards the vast expanse of water in front of them. Gray nodded.

"I guess that makes sense. How does it work?" He glanced down to her perfectly human legs and then to the water a few feet ahead where Natsu held Lucy above his head, ready to slam her into the water. Juvia grabbed his hand and began pulling him to the water, eager to finally swim with him for the very first time.

"Close your eyes." She stopped pulling him and looked down at the tide washing up the sand, just inches from her toes. Gray stepped back and shut his eyes. She looked around to be sure Natsu wasn't watching and when she felt safe enough, she untied her cover and pulled off her bottoms, tossing them aside and diving into the waves. Her tail broke the surface and splashed water onto Gray's legs. He slowly opened his eyes. At his feet he saw her swim bottoms and cover. He understood it was for the tail, but seeing her bottoms at his feet made his imagination get away from him a little bit. What an interesting first date.

"Gray?"Juvia called to him. He looked up at her through a thin veil of dark hair in his face. Her arms reached for him, begging him to get in the water with her. Slowly, he entered the water. Once he was waist deep, she swam towards him and grabbed his hands, pulling him farther out.

Natsu and Lucy watched silently from the shore line as Juvia pulled Gray further out. Natsu was worried and it showed. Lucy held his hand and squeezed.

"She won't hurt him." Admittedly, Lucy originally was terrified of the idea, but now that they were in the water, all the fear left her and she was more than confident that the human was safe in Juvia's care.

Gray held her hands and floated with her, kicking his legs as she swam him in slow circles. Their eyes connected and a melody came from Juvia's mouth without her knowledge. It was the same melody as before. Gray was lost in her. It was like she was all around him. She was the ocean itself, the sky, the breeze, the blood in his veins. In this moment they were one and it struck his very core beyond any human emotion. Soul mates did exist and she was it.

Before Juvia could finish her song, another melody came from elsewhere. It wasn't her love song, not even close. It felt as different as it sounded. It felt familiar, like she had heard it once before. This song felt like home.

Juvia released Gray and spun around in the water, searching for the owner of the voice that called to her. The others also must have noticed, because they, too, were searching the beach and waters. Juvia noticed a flash of red in the water behind a large rock partially submerged in water. Without hesitation, she swam to it.

Behind the large rock she found two people, a man and a woman. They weren't just people, however. These people had tails, like her.

"Who are you?" Juvia gasped. The woman had long scarlet hair and deep cherry colored eyes with lightly tanned skin and many freckles. Her tail was a masterpiece of vermillion, silver and gold scales. The man had medium length royal blue hair tied back by a thin strip of netting. His eyes were golden brown and his skin was just barely lighter than the woman's. His tail was a lovely mix of navy, silver and black scales. He also had a very distinct tattoo over his right eye that was a deep red shade.

"You've come home." The woman smiled and wrapped her arm around the man's shoulders. He, too, smiled, seemingly pleased by this encounter. Juvia was confused and turned to look behind her. Gray, Natsu and Lucy were swimming towards them.

"What do you mean Juvia has come home? Who are you?" The group reached her as the question left her mouth. Gray pulled Juvia against him protectively, her tail wrapping around him all the same. Lucy grabbed Juvia's hand underwater while Natsu guarded her just in case.

"You don't remember... That was to be expected... Juvia, I am Jellal. You are my sister." She stared blankly at him while she tried to process the new information as best she could. Gray suddenly felt very awkward, after all, this is their first date and meeting a relative is a bit fast, but then again, this whole process was fast for a human like Gray. Natsu didn't seem surprised at all, but Lucy was struggling in his arms trying to get at the man fish.

"IF SHE IS YOUR SISTER WHY THE HELL DID SHE GROW UP THINKING SHE WAS A SUCCUBUS WITH NO FAMILY?!" Saying Lucy was livid was an understatement. If fury translated to heat measurements, the ocean would be all dried up. She knew how Juvia had felt growing up. Sure, she knew her mother, but she lost her and grew up in a place she never felt she belonged. Juvia really didn't belong and Lucy felt that pain with her for years. All this time she had a family and never once did they try to find her. Surely if Juvia can form legs, they can as well. Lucy couldn't believe the betrayal.

"She thought she was a succubus? I suppose I could see why she would... It wasn't meant to be this way, I assure you." The woman began.

"Why? Why did Juvia not know about you?" She asked quietly, peeking up at Jellal from under her damp, shaggy ocean colored bangs. Jellal frowned and looked down at the water.

"When you were young you had difficulty adjusting to the pod, our family. You're gills weren't fully formed. You were better suited on land, so father had me go on land and deliver you to the nearest human medical facility. We knew you would be better suited to live your life on land. I have missed you everyday since, I swear it." Jellal was near tears as he spoke. His love for her was clear and the relief in his eyes to see her alive and well was moving. Juvia touched her ribs underwater where her gills were. They were working fine, but she would be lying if she said she didn't rely a little on her lungs even still.

"And who are you?" She asked the woman as she still hovered her fingertips over her own gills.

"I suppose you could say I am your sister in law if we are using human terms. My name is Erza and I am Jellal's mate." Erza glanced at Gray and smiled knowingly. She had heard the mating song before calling to Juvia, so she knew well enough that the human was Juvia's.

"Wait, so being someone's mate is like... getting married?" Gray was clearly flustered. He had joked about it with Natsu, but Natsu never said it was true. Asshole.

"In a way. It's not like human marriage... It's much more absolute." Jellal informed him. Gray stared down at Juvia's hair as she floated in his arms. He had some human thinking to do.

"Who is our father? Do... Do we have a mother?" Juvia asked timidly. Lucy was still boiling with rage, but she held her tongue out of respect for Juvia.

"Our mother passed on shortly after you were born, but our father is very much alive. He is the leader of our Pod, so I suppose you could say you are a princess of sorts." He chuckled awkwardly and turned to Erza for help in the matter.

"Juvia, we want you to come home, if you are willing. We understand you will need help adjusting and your gills will more than likely still be an issue, but if we must we will find a safe shore to live by so that you can breathe and live with your human mate." Erza explained. Juvia shook her head and gripped Lucy's hand tightly. Her tail tightened around Gray as well.

"No... Sorry, but Juvia's home is with Lucy on land. Juvia is ... grateful to finally know of her past, but she cannot come with you. You may be family, but Juvia doesn't know you." She was curious to know what life in a pod was like, but she had lived on land for so long she knew for sure she would be home sick if she left and she couldn't possibly ask her human mate to uproot his life to follow her wherever her pod went. Her life was with her friends and that was all there was to it.

"I understand." Jellal stated glumly. Erza sighed and brushed a strand of wet hair from Juvia's face.

"You are right, this is asking a bit much... If it's not too troublesome, could you give us a chance to know you?" Erza's eyes were pleading and Jellal looked absolutely defeated. Juvia thought about what they were asking and decided that she very much wanted to give them that chance.

"Juvia would love that."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Good fucking night. I am exhausted.

Tell us what you think!


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